FAQ

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions about Run The Farm:

Q: When is Run The Farm? Where is Run The Farm?

A: Date for this year is Sunday, October 23, 2022. Register here. The race is held at Muscoot Farm, 51 Route 100, Katonah, NY 10560.

Kids races start at 8:30am. 5 mile race starts at 9:30am.

Past dates include: Oct 25, 2019, Oct 23, 2018, Oct 22, 2017; Oct 23, 2016; Oct 25, 2015; Oct 26, 2014; Oct 27, 2013; Oct 21, 2012; Oct 23, 2011; Oct 24, 2010 (all races are held on Sunday mornings)

Q: How do I register online?

A: Registration is open for the October 2022 race now. Registration may close a week or so prior to the event. Kids races are more likely to close out since we order a set number of medals 8 weeks in advance and can’t get any more. We don’t want a kids run the farm runner to leave without a medal so we limit registrations for that race to the number of medals ordered.

If you Register at least 3 weeks ahead of time you will get get your name (or your child’s name) on your race bibs. And you can customize the names to be a nickname if you’d like!

Q: Do you have a course map?

A: Yes – check this page for the 5 miler and this page for the kids races.

Q: What is the kids course?

A: See the kids race description for details. It is a challenging 1.1 mile course for 7-12 year olds and a shorter 0.6 mile course for 6 & under.

Please read through the kids course descriptions before signing your child up. It is NOT a “sprint” type course that is over quickly.

Check the course records for some more context: The fastest any kid has ever run the 1k course is 4 minutes 30 seconds. That was a 6 year old who had experience running the race at 2, 3, 4, and 5 years old. The fastest 2k time is 6:33 and that was set by a 12 year old junior olympian who had run the course 3x before in prior years. Records are made to be broken, but we wanted to give you a realistic idea of the effort these kids are going to put out on race morning. It is not a walk in the park!

Q: What is the terrain like? Are there mud flats and water crossings like the Leatherman’s Loop?

A: There are no water crossings like the Leatherman’s Loop and there are no course features like the Mud Flats of the Leatherman’s Loop. If there has been significant rain before the race (or during the race) the course might be muddy or have small streams on the trails.

The course starts on the farm roads of Muscoot and extends into the back meadows. There is about 1/2 mile of running at the start where you can pass or be passed. Once you get into the first section of single track (which lasts for a mile before it opens up again) you will have a harder time passing folks in front of you. There are two sections of “forest meadow” first at around the 1.5 mile mark and again about the 2 mile mark where the trail is wider. From Mile 2 until around Mile 4 it is single track again and then gradually widens until you get back to the meadows and farm roads leading back to the farmyard and finish line.

Q: Where is Muscoot Farm?

A: It is on Route 100 in Somers, NY. Check Directions page for map and directions.

Q: What is the registration cost?

A: Online (advance) registration cost: 5 mile trail run is $45 (plus processing fee charged by runsignup) for online advance preregistration. Kids trail run is $22. Keep in mind that we give finishers back $5 in “Farm Bucks” when 5 milers cross the finish line ($2 farm bucks for the kids race). Farm Bucks can be used at the Muscoot Farmers market as real cash on race day. Read more about Farm Bucks here.

Shirts are optional and cost is $20 for the high quality cotton t-shirt ($15 for kids shirt). No sponsors – no ads on the shirt – just original Run The Farm artwork unique to the race. (Why extra for shirt? Scroll down ↓ for that FAQ answer.)

Q: I am entered in the race but can’t attend. Can I get a refund? Can I transfer my entry to a friend? Can I defer my entry until next year?

A: No, registration is non-refundable and non-transferable. We do not carry over registrations from year to year.

Unfortunately we do not offer refunds or deferments for the race. We get a number of no-shows and do not have staff to handle all of the potential requests — everyone involved with the race is a volunteer. Our policy is a no refund no exchange one so we don’t have to hire staff to process refund requests which would cause us to raise the entry fees across the board. Nobody wants that.

In essence, we hope you understand our simple approach meets our desire to do four simultaneous things:
• Put on a top quality event;
• Keep the registration fees modest;
• Maximize the efforts of our volunteers toward race-related duties; and
• Raise money to improve the trails and farm.

Q: Where do the proceeds go?

A: Proceeds after expenses are donated to various not-for-profit organizations including Friends of Muscoot, Art in the Parks, Somers Volunteer Fire Department, the Trailside Museum at Pound Ridge Reservation, and other charities.

$5 goes to Farm Bucks for each finisher of the 5 Mile race ($2 to the kids race finishers). The Farm Bucks can be spent at the Farmer’s Market after the races on race day. We reimburse the farmers at the end of the Market on Race Day for the $US dollar value of the Farm Bucks they collect. Read more about Farm Bucks here >>

Q: Can I bring a dog with me to the farm and run the course with him/her?

no_dogs A: NO – DOGS are NOT allowed at Muscoot Farm (with the exception of trained and ADA certified service dogs). Please do not bring dogs to the farm! Muscoot is a working farm and the animals there are spooked by unknown dogs. There may be loose farm animals around that the dogs will chase. Also, dogs not familiar with the farm animals may become excitable and unpredictable with all of the sights, sounds, and smells that are new to them. Please understand that the purpose of the farm is not compatible with your dog.

Please please please leave your dog at home for this event!

Q: What happens if it is raining/threatening rain? Is there a rain date?

A: No rain date… All races are run rain or shine. The Muscoot farmer’s market is only open through October. Weather is a fact of life and is always a factor with any outdoor event. It makes for an interesting and unique experience if it is pouring rain so please dress (you and your kids) appropriately — and have a change of clothes handy.

If it is raining the farmers will appreciate your patronage even more than usual since rain really puts a damper on farmer’s market traffic!

Q: How do I confirm a registration?

A: You should get an email confirmation right away from our registration provider when you register online. If you do not, it could be that you typed your email address incorrectly or the message was trapped in a spam filter (check your spam folder if you have one). If you think you mistyped your email, please contact us right away so we can look into and and get it fixed.

You can also check the registration list page by clicking here. If you can’t find your name and you have a confirmation email and your card has been charged, please contact us. (This should not happen but if it does the sooner we know about it the better!)

If you do not have a confirmation email and your card has not been charged, that means your registration did NOT go through — please try again or contact us. Please don’t wait until race morning to straighten things out! We have much more time to look into things before the hectic race morning.

Q: Do I have to register if I want to run with my young child in the KIDS race?

A: YOU do not need to register in order to accompany your young child (aged 6 & under) during the kids run. Important note: your child should be registered if they are running in the race. We need to know how many kids to expect for the race in case we need to split the races further in case of an extra large race field.

Please leave plenty of time to pick up your child’s race bib for the kids race at the barn on race morning. We encourage the younger kids to run with a parent or older sibling as an ‘escort’ to help them out.

Q: Do the younger kids run the entire 0.6 mile course?

Some do, some don’t. The course is long enough (0.6 miles – 2x around a 400m track) that the younger kids may get winded and have to take a break or walk. In case they want to go solo we will have course marshals to keep them on the right track.

The 5 & 6 year olds tend to want to solo the race (with you cheering on the start and finish). The 4 & under crowd may or may not need a parent/sibling/friend escort. But plan on comfortable shoes for you just in case.

If you have to cut their race short, please wait until other younger kids who ran the whole race pass through the finish chute to get their medal and farm bucks. This is so your child won’t inadvertently take an age group prize.

Q: Do the older kids run the entire course?

Typically they run or jog the whole course — but there are some kids who are taken a bit by surprise at the length after going out hard at the beginning. This is not a sprint! We encourage runners who feel they can win first in their age to come out to Muscoot ahead of time to see the course. Check the kids course map here.

Note: the older heat for 7-12 year olds shouldn’t need escorts — but if you are more comfortable accompanying them then we ask that you please start at the back of the group and let your child run ahead. You may catch up to them further on the course (or maybe not!) The course is well marked with course marshals at each turn so the kids won’t get lost.

Q: Will there be same day registration?

A: Yes but it could be very limited. In the past we have closed online kids registration before the event and encourage you to register early. We do accept a limited number of walk in registrations if we have available medals. Come beforehand very early in the day. Closer to race day/time we may not be able to accommodate walk ins depending on how many pre-register.

Kids medals nearly ran out in 2019 — and we don’t want any kids to go home empty handed! Your best bet is to register online in advance.

Same day registration cost is extra so we leave online advance registration open as long as possible.

Q: How much are T-shirts for the event?

A: Adult Cotton T-shirt is $21. Kids cotton T-shirt is $15.

Q: Why are t-shirts extra?

A: Run The Farm, like the Leatherman’s Loop, is completely runner supported with no sponsors. The t-shirts are one of a kind and have no ads on them at all. We will have a limited quantity of shirts available for purchase at the event if you would like to wait to decide to purchase the shirt.

Q: I am entered in the race but did not purchase a t-shirt and I would like to order one before the event, how can I do this?

A: Once you have registered without purchasing a shirt we have no way to add the shirt to your registration. You must pre-order with your registration which guarantees that your shirt and size will be there waiting when you pick up your bib.

We do order extras — so if you arrive early you will likely be able to purchase a shirt. No guarantees on size unless you have ordered with your registration though.

Q: Can I wear headphones in the race?

A: No — it is a safety issue. The trails get narrow and you need to be able to hear other runners around you in order to not be a trail hazard. Please leave the headphones behind on race day.

Q: Why do you list Muscoot Farm as being in Somers and Katonah? Which one is it?

A: It is located in Somers but has a Katonah mailing address. It is in the Somers Fire District and we are pleased to welcome the Somers Fire Department EMS crew to the event!

Q: How is the race timing done?

A: In the past we have used bibs with tear tags along with a computer timing system. In 2014 we switched to a chip timing system with B-Tags (RFID) on the bibs to make timing more accurate and have results posted faster. This unfortunately adds more cost to the race — but it will help accommodate more runners more efficiently and it will help make the day and the results go even more smoothly.